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Tim Frankovich

I could even see Hugh Jackman as Watson, if they’re bold enough to get closer to the books. Watson was not only a doctor, he was a soldier.

Jason Isaacs would be a great choice for Holmes. It would help him get out of the villain typecast, as well.

Brett

I could see Paul Bettany as Holmes, but I don’t have any particular Watson firmly in mind. Unless you wanted to flip-flop Master and Commander and see if Russell Crowe could play a second fiddle.

Martin’s suggestion of Ralph Fiennes is a good one, but it weakens my one idea for a Watson, which would be Liam Neeson. It’d be hard seeing those two on the same screen and not think of Schindler’s List. Otherwise, Neeson would be the anti-Nigel, and closer to both Conan Doyle’s descriptions and Sidney Paget’s art.

Martin

Jason Isaacs! You beat me to it.

Absolutely. He’d be tremendous.

Gleeson, Giamatti, or Oldman could all bring the needed intelligence and energy to Watson, while remaining within the “character-actor-type” casting mold where the poor fellow seems to be stuck.

I’m sure Giamatti can pull off the accent, but I’d still prefer to see an Englishman do the role.

Jeremy

Rupert Everett, Sean Bean, or Jason Isaacs for Holmes.

Paul Giamatti, Brendan Gleeson, or Gary Oldman for Watson.

This is a movie a whole ton of Sherlock fans have been waiting for ever since Jeremy Brett’s series ended.

Martin

Timothy Spall?

Think you’ve been smoking a little too much Nigel Bruce there…if that’s the direction Marshall wants to go, then I guess Spall would be a good choice. However, Watson as described in the Conan Doyle stories is hardly the overweight dullard that Bruce gave us, and I think to rehabilitate Watson you’ll need someone with a little more … vitality than Spall (who’s a fine actor, to be sure). Kenneth Branagh would actually make an ideal Watson if he’d ever condescend to play second banana to someone like Ralph Fiennes or Rupert Everett (my choices for Holmes). Heck, I could even see Hugh Grant or Colin Firth as Watson. I know we’re not conditioned to think of Watson as a leading-man type, but that is really Bruce’s fault. If you’ve read the stories you’ll recall that Watson has more luck with the women than Holmes ever does.